Tying machine



H. HARVEY Nov. 30, 1 937.

TYING MACHINE Original Filed March 22, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l H. HARVEY TYING MACHINE Original Filed March 22, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aer/155w Jarpa/ow H. HARVEY Nov. 30, 193 7.

TYING MACHINE Original Filed March 22, 1933 finder/45 0" Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TYING MACHINE Application March 22,

1933, Serial No. 662,064

Renewed April 26, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention has to do with a joint or tie forming machine particularly useful in forming joints in material or elements such as metal straps or wires, and it is a general object of this invention to provide various improvements in the general construction and arrangement of parts, and in the tie forming parts in a machine of the type mentioned.

It is desirable in many instances, to securely and economically tie wires and metal straps, for instance, such operations may be employed to advantage in the course of binding bales of various kinds, boxes, and similar articles or products. Metal straps or fiat wires such as can be used to advantage in binding or tying many articles or products, present certain difficult problems of tying or joining, and it is to overcome all such difficulties or problems that this invention is directed.

The present invention is directed to that general class of machine presented in United States Letters Patent No. 1,874,518, issued to Leo M. Harvey, of Los Angeles, California, August 30, 1932.

It is a primary and outstanding object of my present invention to provide improvements in tie or joint forming members proper, that is, in the parts that actually work on or engage the straps or wires being tied. My present invention provides two cooperating joint forming members that are simple and inexpensive of manufacture, and which operate smoothly and cfliciently in forming a tight, secure joint. The joint forming members of my invention involve numerous features 35 both as to construction and mode of operation,

which features will be understood from the detailed description to follow.

{Another object of this invention is to provide improvements in the carriage for supporting the 40 joint forming members in a machine of the character mentioned. By my present invention, the improved joint forming members are mounted in the machine in an extremely simple and effective manner, making the machine inexpensive of manufacture, and simple and convenient to operate. The joint forming members in accordance with the preferred carrying out of my invention, are mounted to have a compound movement, that is, to be movable in one d rection or manner to fac li ate threading or preparing the machine for opcraton, and i n an other direction or manner in the course of actual'operation of the machine in the formation of 'a joint or connection.

Another object and feature of my present invcntion is the manner in which the parts hereinabove mentioned are related to a shear or cutter to cooperate "therewith to automatically cut the wire or strap being acted upon by the machine without interfering with or complicating the action of the other parts of the machine. 5

The various objects and features of my present invention will be best and fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the present invention, showing the parts positioned ready to be operated to form a joint or tie in the over-lapping parts of fiat wire or metal 15 strap. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine corresponding to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine showing it viewed from the right in Fig. 1, and showing it fully open or in position to receive the parts to be tied. Fig. 4 is a vertical detailed transverse sectional view of the machine taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 2, showing overlapping flat wires or metal straps in position ready to be acted upon by the machine. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailed sec- 2 tional view similar to Fig. 4, only showing the parts positioned to correspond to Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-6 on Fig. 2, showing the cutter in the actuated position. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the cutter retracted or in the unactuated position. Fig. 8 is a detailed transverse sectional view of the joint or tie forming members of the machine being a view taken as indicated by line 88 on Fig. 4, the parts to be acted upon by the machine being shown positioned ready for operation of the machine. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig, 8 showing the tie forming members operated or operating upon the parts located in them. Fig. 10 is a view of a finished tie formed by the machine, showing it viewed from one side. Fig.

11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing the joint or tie viewed from the other side, and Fig. 12 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the tie formed by the machine taken as indicated by line l2-l2 on Fig. 11.

My present invention may be embodied in machines intended for various classes of use, and intended to form connections or ties in various parts. The invention is particularly useful and practical as applied to or embodied in a machine for handling metal straps or fiat wires, and in making ties on bales, boxes, or ,the like. Because of this circumstance, I have chosen to set forth my invention as applied to or embodied in a machine of the type mentioned, and I will hereinafter make particular reference to this type of machine, and to the machine as acting upon flat wire without thereby intending to limit or restrict the scopeor range of application of the invention.

The machine of the present invention includes, generally, a frame A, cooperating tie forming members B, a carriage C for the tie forming members, a drive D for the tie forming members, means E for guiding the wire in the machine,

grippers F and G for holding the wire in posi-.

tion in the machine, means H for pulling or tightening the wire in the machine preliminary to the formation of the tie, a cutter I for cutting the wire during operation of the machine, and various other parts, the details and functions of which will be hereinafter set forth.

Theframe A forms a mounting for the various parts of the machine, and supports the carriage C, which in turn, carries the tie forming members B. The tie forming members which are the outstanding feature of the present invention, are rotatable members having opposed cam-like jaws adapted to be positioned to receive the wire and shaped so that they approach each other to act on the wire and form the tie as the machine is operated. The carriage, in accordance with the invention, is mounted for movement relative to the frame in a direction parallel to the wire, so that the tie forming members can advance and. properly act upon the wire. The carriage is also mounted for movement transverse of the wire into and out of position where the tie forming members are-in position for operation, the last mentioned movement of the carriage being to facilitate threading or placement of the wire in the machine. The drive D is provided for actuating the tie forming members with the force necessary to effect the tying operation, and is preferably supported or carried by the carriage C. The cutter I for cutting the wire during the operation of the machine is cooperatively related to the carriage to be operated from the carriage, and to shift longitudinally of the wire in a manner to effect economy of wire and neatness of the tie formed by the machine. The other parts hereinabove mentioned, such as the guiding means E, grippers F, etc., need no particular mention at this point, as they are elements well understood by those familiar with machines of this type.

The frame A forms the body or principal support of the machine and may vary in size, design, proportions and other characteristics, with the duty for which the machine is designed or intended. In the machine illustrated, which machine is intended to be portable and to be used in applying wires to boxes, bales, and the like, the principal part of the frame is a base l0 having a fiat bottom ll adapted to rest upon a box, bale, or the like. The frame has various other parts or elements in the form of lugs or extensions projecting from its top or upper side, all of which will be described incidental to the other parts of the machine to which they relate.

The tie forming members B of the present invention are adapted to form a tie of the type illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 through the action of relatively moving opposed cam-like jaws provided on or in the members. In the preferred form of the invention, the tie forming members are in the form of blocks mounted for rotation about their individual axes and for bodily movement or movement in unison longitudinally of the wire during the course of formation of the tie. The preferred. form of the tie forming members makes it advantageous to mount the members on spaced parallel axes normal to the plane of the wire at the point that the tie is to be made. In the construction illustrated, the tie forming members are not only mounted at spaced parallel axes, but the axes are positioned relative to one another to be located beyond opposite edges ofthe wire when the machine is in position ready for operation on the wire.

The cam-like jaws of the members B are produced in the members by providing a groove around each member at the plane of the wire parts to be tied. The grooves ll vary as they extend around the members so that each groove has a deep portion or part II forming a bottom face, a shallow portion or part II forming a face, and curved portions or parts 18 and I4 joining the parts I: and. I3. The grooves are made more or less V-shaped in cross section, with their bottoms suitably rounded as will be apparent from consideration of various figures of the drawings. The members B are related as to rotative position so that the deep parts of 'the grooves H face one another as shown in Fig. 8, to form an opening I 4 to readily receive the overlapping parts of the wire W when the parts are positioned as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 8 of the drawings. The curved parts H of the grooves are related to the parts If so that as the members B are rotated about their axes as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, the parts I! engage he edges of the over-lapping wire parts causing the edge portions of the wire parts to be rolled as shown at ii in Fig. 11 at the start or beginning end of the tie. The parts l3 are concentric with the axes of rotation of the members B and continue from the parts H to the parts l4 forming a narrow or restricted space into which the wire parts are tightly pressed or rolled as the operation of the members B continues in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8. The parts [4 cooperate to form the other or finishing end of the tie. In order to provide a positive and secure tie, I prefer to crimp the portion of the wire parts pressed or rolled between the parts l3, and to accomplish this, I provide tooth-like projections H on the cam parts l3 which projections H are located or spaced circumferentially around the two members B so that they are staggered or do not occur opposite each other asthe members operate, but tend to mesh with each other, crimping the tied portion of the wire part as clearly illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11.

The members B are relieved or cutaway downwardly from the cam parts I 2,, forming the mouth or opening l8, through which over-lapping wire parts can be passed into position between the members B when the members are positioned as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 8 of the drawings.

In the preferred form of the invention, the members B are in the form of spur gears mounted .to cooperate or mesh, and having their teeth formed so that the grooves provided to form the cams as hereinabove described, are cut through the gear teeth 20. When employing members B in the form of gears, the teeth 29 are preferably related to the cam grooves so that base portions of teeth 20 are left standing or projecting from the cam parts l3 to form the projections l1 hereinabove described. It is to be understood, of course, that the corners or surfaces of the base parts of the teeth or the projections II may be suitably rounded or finished so that they act on the metal or the wire W without tearing or otherwise undesirably distorting it. By forming the members B as gears having their teeth 20 meshing as shown-throughout the drawings, the members B are positively related so that they remain in perfect cooperating relation at all times.

In operating the members B as hereinabove described, they can be rotated from the position shown in Fig. 8 to a position such as shown in Fig. 9 and then returned or retracted to their original position as shown in Fig. 8, or if it is desired, the members B can be operated so that each makes a complete revolution. The latter mode of operation is preferable in most cases. It is to be understood of course, that the cam forming grooves provided in the members B may be shaped and finished to obtain the desired resulting action on the wire W and that the members B may be suitably treated or hardened so that they will effectively withstand the service to which they are put in the course of acting on the wire W as hereinabove described.

The drive D for the members may be in the nature of any suitable mechanism engaging or acting with one or both of the members B to eifect operation or rotation of the members as hereinabove described. In the particular form of machine illustrated, the members B 'are mounted at the lower face 2| of the carriage C by means of spindles 22 that project upwardly from the members B to be rotatably carried in bearing openings 23 provided in the carriage. With this manner of mounting the members B, it is convenient and advantageous to drive the members B through one of the spindles 22. In practice, it is desirable to provide a drive for the members B through which a high or great mechanical advantage is gained between the part from which the operating force is applied and the members B. In accordance with my invention, I provide a worm gear drive foraccomplishing suitable mechanical advantage between a hand crank 24 and the members B. One of the spindles 22 has an upper end extension on which is fixed a worm gear 24. A worm member 25 is fixed on a shaft 25 to mesh with the worm gear 24. The shaft 25 is supported by the carriage C and extends transversely of thespindle 22 and has one end projecting from a boss 21 on the carriage to carry a hand-crank 24. In the preferred form of the invention, a suitable spring detent means 28 is carried by the boss 2'! to engage the hub 29 of the handcrank, the means 28 operating to yieldingly set the hand-crank in position where the members.

B are related, to receive wires W through the mouth l8 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The carriage C is preferably designed to suitably house the gears 24 and 25 as clearly shown throughout the drawings, and in accordance with the present invention, it is mounted on the frame A to allow for movement of the members B into and out of operating position with reference to the wire W located in the machine, and to allow for movement of the members B longitudinally of the wire in the machine as the machine is operated. These movements of the carriage B are provided for through a single simple mounting of the carriage on the frame, which mounting includes a mounting rod 30 carried between spaced mounting lugs 3| and 3| that project upwardly from the base l0, and an arm and 7 of the drawings.

mounting lugs 3| and 3h and is fitted on the rod to turn about the rod, and also slide longitudinally or the rod. The rod 30 is arranged parallel to the wire W supported in the machine and is mounted close to the plane of the wire W a suitable distance from the wire. With this positioning of the rod 35 the carriageC can be swimg or tilted between the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5.. When the carriage is positioned as shown in Fig. 4, the members B are in position to operate upon the wire W, whereas when the carriage C is positioned as shown in Fig. 5, the members B are located so that the wire can be conveniently arranged in or withdrawn from the machine.

The invention further provides suitable stop and guide means in connection with the carriage, for instance, the tilting movement of the carriage just referred to is governed by a finger 35 provided on the arm 32, which finger cooperates with stops 51 and on the frame A to limit the movement of the carriage as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The stop 58 extends parallel with the rod 30 and together with a rib 35 parallel with the rod 50, forms'a channel 40 which the finger 35 enters as the carriage moves to the left from the starting position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby holding the carriage in the position shown in Fig.4 during operation of the members B upon the wire w. It is to be noted that the rib 39 terminates so that it does not interfere with tilting of the carriage when the carriage is 10- cated at the ends of its longitudinal movement.

The cutter I provided for cutting the wire W is located from the carriage C in the direction of the puller H, and is adapted to cut the wire W that has been pulled by the puller while the wire is held by the grippers F and G and durin'g'the tilting of the under C from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to that shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In accordance with my present invention, the cutter comprises a shear member 50 pivotally and slidably carried on the rod 30 cooperating with a part 5| of the wire guide E slidably carried by the rod 30 and held against rotation by a projecting part 52 that slidably fits between the stops 3'' and 38 as clearly illustratedin Figs. 6 A wire guiding notch 55 extends into the forward end of the wire part 5| to pass the lowermost wire part in the machine. A wire supporting surface 56 is provided on the part 5| immediately above the notch part to guide the uppermost wire part in the machine. The surface 56 terminates in a sharp edge 51 with which the shear member 50 cooperates to cut the wire.

A projection 50 on the carriage C cooperates with suitably spaced shoulders 5| and 52 on the shear 50 to operate the shear between a raised position as shown in Fig. 7 and an actuated position as shown in Fig. 6. The parts just mentioned are proportioned so that as the carriage C is moved from the "up" or rearwardly tilted position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to the operating position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the projection 6|! engages the stop shoulder 6| to move the shear to the actuating position. A headed pin 55 projects from the wire guide part 5| through a suitable arcuate slot 51 in the shear 50 and operates to limit the pivotal movement of the shear as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, and also to hold the shear in proper cothe shear and guide are positioned on the rod- 30 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and thus cooperate to cut the uppermost wire part so that a very short end III is left upon the tie being completed. As the machine is operated, the carriage advances along the rod ll toward the pulling device H and in the course of its movement, engagesthe shear BI and guide means E to move them along the rod. As the carriage is returned to the unactuated position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a head I on the projection 6| cooperates with the shear 50 to return the shear and guide means E to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The gripper F is located between the carrier C and the pulling device I and is designed to grip and hold the lower wire part entering the machine. The gripper F includes, generally, a wire guiding part or rest 8| over which the wire passes, and a wire gripping jaw 82 carried by a lever 83 normally urged into gripping engagement with the wire by spring 86. A suitable latch 81 may be provided for latching the lever out of operation. The wire gripper G is located in the opposite direction from the carriage C as close as practical to the carriage C and is designed to grip and hold the wire part entering the machine and passing into the puller H. The gripper G includes a wire guiding plate 88 over which the wire passes into the machine, and a gripper jaw 89 of a pivoted lever 9| normally urged into gripping engagement with the wire by a spring 9|. A suitable latch 92 may be provided for latching the lever 90 out of operation.

The wire puller H is adapted to receive the wire part that has been passed through the gripper G and over the wire part held by the gripper F. The puller H is in the nature of a "come-along, and includes a wire gripping device 92 carried by a link 93 operated by a pivoted lever 94. Upon the lever being moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, the gripping device 92 having hold of the wire part pulls it forward or in the direction of motion of the lever through the link 93. It is to be understood that any suitable grippers F and G may be employed in carrying out the invention, and that many forms or types of puller may be employed to advantage in the machine.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction as well as the operation of the machine will be fully understood. From a consideration of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings it will be apparent how the end portion of a wire may be arranged in the machine so that it is located in the ripper F and passes through the notch 55 in the guide part 5| to be engaged by the members B and to a position close to the gripper G, it being understood that as the wire is being placed in the machine, the carriage C is in the rear or tilted position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. The other or long end of the wire is passed into position in the machine by being arranged in the gripper G over the jaw 82 of the gripper F, then through the puller H. The wire thus being arranged in place in the machine, the operator moves the lever 94 of the come-along in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, thus tightening the wire and making it ready to be tied. After suitable operation of the "come-along, which operation may require one or more oscillations of the lever 94,

the operator moves the carriage C forward from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it being understood that the members B are positioned to receive the over-lapping wire parts in the manner illustrated throughout the drawing During the movement of the carriage C from the tilted position to the operating position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the shear MI is moved to eii'ect cutting of the wire part extending over the face 56, said wire part being cut at the edge 51 as the shear moves downwardly. The operator thus rotates the handle 24' which motion is communicated through the gears 24 and 25 to the spindle 22 carrying the gear 24. This rotation of the spindle is communicated from one member B to the other, causing the members B to act on the overlapping wire parts in the manner hereinabove described, to form the tie illustrated in Figs. and 11 of the drawings. During the formation of the tie, the members B advance along the wire parts held in the machine, and in the course of such movement, the shear 50 and wire guide means E are moved along the rod 30 after the carriage has moved sumciently to take up the space between the carriage and the shear. The movement of the members B along the wire parts may be limited by a stop collar 98 or other suitable means. The stop collar Si is shown carried on the rod 30 between the wire guide means E and the lug 3| supporting one end of the rod. The stop 98 may be such as to stop the movement of the members B along the wire parts before the membersB have made a complete revolution, in which case the operator must reverse the direction of motion of the handle and return the handle to its original position before the members B are in position to free the wire and allow the carriage to be swung to the tilted position shown in Figs-3 and 5. It is preferred, however, that the stop 98 be such as to allow the members B to each make a complete revolution in which case they are in the same relative position when the tie is completed as they were before the tie was started and the carriage can be tilted to disengage the members B from the wire as soon as the tie is completed. The carriage can be returned to its starting position while tilted. Upon the carriage being tilted the tied wire is free so that it can be'removed from the machine, either by movement of the wire or by bodily shifting the machine out of engagement with the wire.

Having described only a typical form and application of my. invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific form and application herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Havng described my invention, I claim:

1. A machine for tying adjoining parts including a frame, guiding the parts, cooperating tie forming members operable along the parts to tie them, a cutter mounted on the frame to-be shiftable into and out of position to cut one of the parts, and a carriage for said members mounted on the frame for movement longitudinally of said parts and laterally of said parts, the cutter and carriage being related so that the cutter is actuated by the lateral movement of the carriage and is shifted by longitudinal movement of the carriage.

\ 2. A machine for tying adjoining parts includng a frame guiding the parts, cooperating tie orming members operable along the parts to tie them, a cutter mounted on the frame to be shiftable into and out of position to cut one of the parts, a carriage for the said members mounted on the frame for movement longitudinally oi. the said parts and laterally of said parts, the cutter and carriage being related so that the cutter is actuated by the lateral movement of the car riage and is shifted by longitudinal movement of the carriage, a drive for said members sup ported by the carriage and including worm gearing, and means limiting the movement of the carriage.

3. A device for tying adjacent parts including a frame, cooperating tie forming members operable along the parts to tie them, a carriage carrying the members and supported on the frame for movement longitudinally of said parts and laterally of said parts, the frame having a channel extending. parallel to said parts, and a finger on the carriage adapted to cooperate with the frame to limit the lateral movement of the carriage in both directions and movable through the channel to guide the carriage when the mem- 10 bars are operated along said parts.

' HERBERT HARVEY. 

